Depurator.



No. 726,791. IIATENTED APR. 28,1903.-

' .0. E. H. ARMBRUSTER.

DEPURATOR.

APPLICATION nun AUG. 1a, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 1" 4 z sums-sum 1.

@%1 /1rg s;2% 5 w; @VMV I TORNE) THE nonms PrrsRS GOV, PHOTO-LUNG WASHINGTON, o. c

PATENTED APR. 28, 1903.

0. E. H. ARMBRUSTBR.

DEPURATOR.

urmuuron rum) we. 1 1902.

' WITNESSES: w; a 0 M02 'NITED STATES: PATENT OFFICE.-

CHARLES E. H. ARMBRUSTER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

DEPU RATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters; Patent N 0. 726,791, dated April 28, 1903. Application filed August 18, 1902 Serial No. 120,150. (No model) T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. H. ARM- BRUSTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Depurators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in depurators adapted to be applied to the human body for producing'therapeutic effects.

It consists of an exterior flexible union garmentor covering shaped to conform to the general shape of the body, but sufliciently loose to make room for vacuum-chambers, as hereinafter described. Connected with the rear part of this suit in any suitable manner is a jointed structure forming a support for and with which the means for producing the vacuum-chambers are connected. The means for producing the vacuum-chambers are composed of material sufliciently rigid to over come the tendency to collapse produced by exhausting the air from the space between the body and the said support, which are open on the side next the body of the patient. The vacuum-chambers are produced simply by supports for the outer portion of the apparatus,which is thereby kept away from the body,-

whereby a chamber or space is produced from which the air may be exhausted, thus subjecting any portion of the body to therapeutic treatment.

Having briefly outlined my improved structure, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a section taken through the same, showing the front of the garment with the non-collapsible supports applied, the same being viewed from the inside. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the back of the garment viewed from the inside. Fig. 4 is a section taken through the apparatus on the line 44, Fig. 3, showing one of the non-collapsible supports in place. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the support in a difierent position. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing two of the supports in place and connected'. v Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional View of a release-valve employed in the exhaustpipe.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the outer portion of the apparatus, which is preferably composed of soft rubber or some other suitable flexible and elastic material adapted to fit the body closely at the neck. As shown, this portion of the garment is made in the 'form of a union shit adapted to open in the front, which is provided with two cooperating ribs 6 and 7, which may be connected in any suitable manner to form an air-tight joint. To the rear part of this garment on the inside andcovering the entire structureform the leg members, While the parts desighated 14 and 15 form the arm members. Any other arrangement of the parts may be employed. This arrangement is described and shown only to indicate that for convenience the inner structure may be composed of a number of members; but the pieces composing thestructure may all be connected together, if desired. As shown in the drawings, the parts of the various members are connected by flexible strips 16, which may be applied to the pieces in anysuitable manner. The adjoining members may be detachably connected with each other in any suitable manner, as-by buttons applied to one memher and engaging openings formed in a flexi- I ble part of another member. This construction is indicated at 17 in Fig. 3, The inner structure is secured to the outer portion of the apparatus by applying a rigid piece 18, as of wood,to the exterior surface of the flexible part 5 directly opposite one of the back pieces and then applying rivets or other suitable fastening devices, which are passed through the pieces 1O 18 and the intermediate flexible part 5. To this piece 18 is applied a belt or fastening-strap 19, adapted to pass around a chair or operating-table and fasten by buckling. Inside the flexible part 5 and suitably connected with the pieces 10, 11, 12, 13, 14:, and 15 are the rigid or non-collapsible supports 20, which hold the part 5 away from the body of the wearer, thus forming vacuum-chambers 21, from which the air may be exhausted by the employment of a suitable exhaust-pump, which is conventionally illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings and designated 22. As shown, the parts 10 to 15, inclusive, are provided with apertured parts 23, adapted to receive cooperating parts 2 1k, formed on the parts 20. When it is desired to cover the front portion of the body or both sides, two of the pieces are employed and connected in any suitable manner. An eye on one part may be formed to receive a hook in the other part after the manner of corset-fastening. This is illustrated at in Fig. 3. The parts 20 may be of any suitable size or area, and by virtue of this construction any desired portion of the body may be treated independentlyand without subjecting any other portion of the body to treatment. As shown in the drawings,the plates 20 are perforated, and the tube 26,1eading from the exhaust-pump, may be passed through a perforation at any convenient point. In Fig. 2 the supporting-plates 20 are shown applied to the entire front part of garment; but it is not supposed that it will be necessary to treat the entire body atone time. The showing is to indicate that thismay be done, if desired. A release-valve 27 is lo cated in the tube 26 to diminish or break the vacuum at intervals. By opening this valve the instant the patient exhales or expels the air from the lungs and allow it to remain closed during inspirations the breathing of the patient is made more easy. The tube 26 may be connected with the outer part 5 of the apparatus in any suitable manner. The part 5 should be provided with an opening, through which the tube 26 may be passed in such a manner as to form an air-tight joint.

Vhen the apparatus is in use, one or more of the plates 20 are applied to the inner surface of the structure, as heretofore explained, and the air-tube 26 inserted, its inner extremity being passed through a perforation of the plate. The parts 6 and 7 must of course be closed, in order to leave no exterior openings in the apparatus. When the exhaust-pump is employed to remove the air from the apparatus, at all parts except where the plate or plates 20 are employed the outer part 5 will collapse and fit the body or the inner rear structure closely, no vacuum-chamher being left; but where the plate or plates 20 are employed the part 5 simply engages the outersurface of the plates and avacuum chamher or chambers are formed and the part subjected to any desired degree of vacuum treatment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a depurator, the combination of an outer flexible garment adapted to cover the body, and rigid non collapsible supports placed inside the garment for holding it away from the body and forming a vacuum chamher or chambers therein, substantially as described. 2. The combination of an outer flexible garment closed against the entrance of air, a jointed structure applied to the rear part of the garment on the inside, a non-collapsible support connected with said structure for holding the outer garment away from the body, and air-exhaust means connected with the apparatus, substantially as described.

3. In depurator of the class described, the combination with an outer elastic garment, a structure composed of rigid pieces hinged together in any suitable manner, and applied to the inner surface of the garment, and a rigid non-collapsible support applied to said pieces and adapted to hold the elastic outer part away from the body, thus forming one or more vacuum-chambers, substantially. as described.

4. The combination of an outer flexible garment adapted to conform to the general shape of the body, but closed against the entrance of air, jointed pieces applied to the rear part of the structure, and plates adapted to be connected with the rear structure, and arranged to hold the outer garment away from the body, to produce an air-chamber or airchambers, whereby any portion of the body may be subjected to independent vacuum treatment, substantially as described.

5. The combination of an outer flexible gar ment, and an inner sectional structure composed of non-collapsible plates adapted to hold the outer garment away from the body of the wearer, and suitable means for exhausting the air from the garment, substantially as described.

6. A depurator consisting of an exterior flexible union garment or covering shaped to conform to the general shape of the body but sufficiently loose to make room for vacuumchambers, and sectional means for producing vacuum-chambers, located Within the garment and suitably connected therewith, the said means being composed of material sufficiently rigid to overcome the tendency to collapse produced by exhausting the air from the space between the body and the said supports.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. H. ARMBRUSTER.

\Vitnesses:

DENA NELSON, A. .T. OBRIEN.

It s 

